The Boeing Company

Roy S Alcantara

Geun Il Kim

Steven J Moskalik

Bradley J Fischer

Caroline Klein

Raymond P Craig

Monica S Alcabin

Richard A Herald

Christie Marie Maldonado

Geun I Kim

Yian Guan

Christie M Maldonado

A flight management system which is capable of monitoring changes in airplane characteristics. The flight management system is configured with a datalink management function that enables the uploading of updated performance table data from a ground station via a datalink. Upon receipt of updated aerodynamic and propulsion performance data via the datalink, the flight management system creates or updates a set of airplane performance tables or curves in a database which can be utilized to compute more accurate flight profile and trip prediction parameters, such as estimated time of arrival and predicted fuel consumption quantity.

Flight management system having performance table datalink capability

A flight management system which has access to customized information concerning the actual characteristics of a specific airplane or a specific fleet of airplanes of the same model when computing a predicted flight profile and associated trip prediction parameters. This up-to-date airplane-specific or fleet-specific information is digital data configured as a separately loadable database called a 'customized performance database'. This customized performance database contains a smaller set of performance data&#x2014;such as fuel flow correction, drag coefficient correction, and re-optimized speed/altitude tables&#x2014;than is contained in the baseline performance database. The flight management system will continue to use a baseline performance database as a 'limit' on the numbers computed using the customized performance database. The customized performance database can include tables or curves that are customizable by airlines.

Flight management system having customized performance database

A flight management system which is capable of monitoring changes in airplane characteristics such as fuel flow and drag. When a predetermined event is triggered, the flight management system (FMS) creates or updates a set of 'dynamic' tables in a database which enable FMS performance algorithms to utilize the latest fuel flow and drag data. Using the updated aerodynamic and propulsion performance data in the dynamic tables, the flight management system is able to compute more accurate flight profile and trip prediction parameters such as estimated time of arrival and predicted fuel consumption quantity.

Systems and methods for providing airplane performance calculations

Systems and methods providing improved flight guidance are described. In some implementations, performance data from a plurality of completed flight segments of an aircraft are recorded and used to generate and/or update a regression model between one or more input parameters and one or more output parameters. Flight profile data for a current flight segment of the aircraft is estimated using the regression model and compared to flight profile data predicted based on pre-programmed performance data. The estimated and predicted flight profile data are compared to determine if a difference between the two exceeds a predetermined amount and flight guidance for a current flight segment is generated based on the estimated flight profile data if the difference exceeds the predetermined amount.

Systems and methods for providing improved flight guidance

A method for automatically selecting a take-off thrust setting for an engine of a jet powered mobile platform that has a flight management computer (FMC) that makes use of a configuration code. The configuration code is provided from a first set of information relating to operational parameters of the mobile platform. A database in communication with the FMC stores information pertaining to different locations from which a take-off operation can be performed. The FMC accesses the configuration code and the database to determine a take-off thrust setting to apply during the take-off operation at a specified one of the locations. The FMC also determines if an operator has overridden an automatic selection of the take-off thrust.

System and method for automatically controlling take-off thrust in an aircraft

A method for automatically selecting a take-off thrust for an engine of a jet powered mobile platform. A flight management computer (FMC) may be provided along with a configuration code created from a first set of information relating to operational parameters of the mobile platform. A database of information has different locations from which the mobile platform may perform a take-off operation. The FMC may be used to access the configuration code and the database to determine a specific take-off thrust that needs to be applied during the take-off operation at a specified one of the locations, as well as to determine if an operator of the mobile platform has input a command to the FMC to override automatic selection of the take-off thrust.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Roy S Alcantara